I'm shutting down Google+ for the night and quite possibly for the weekend. Why? This stupid #gifwars thing people are so proud of. This Adam Black guy said he doesn't like gifs and now everyone is mass trolling him. Having been mass trolled like this I can relate to him easily enough. Have an opinion and the collective might of Google+'s lower class denizens jump on a bandwagon. I just saw a post where someone wanted to jump on board and had to get clarification she was tagging the proper Adam Black. She wasn't even connected to him ! Nor was she a part of the original discussion. She just wanted to follow the herd. When I called her out of it she claimed, "one gif doesn't make a troll." Perhaps not, but she's contributing to a larger troll effort. One straw doesn't break the camel's back, but thousands will. So, tonight, Google+ disgusts me. It probably will tomorrow as well. And possibly Sunday. I gave up Google+ for two months this spring
Comments
Miracles happen every day. Just because we have scientific explanations for many of them does not make them any less miraculous.
A miracle is an event not ascribable to human power or the laws of nature and consequently attributed to a supernatural, especially divine, agency. This is the rub:
either you believe in the supernatural and then when faced with something beyond your understanding you call it a miracle or you do not believe in the supernatural and you simply say you do not know.
Are we using the word miracle differently?
I believe the supernatural is simply the natural that is beyond our current understanding and/or perception and/or measurement, such as the extra dimensions quantum physicists tell us exist but that we can't directly experience with our current limitations. Per Clarke, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." Whether you choose to label that as science and/or divine or believe it requires conscious agency is up to your belief system.
Basically, what word would you reserve for an event not ascribable to human power or the laws of nature since "miracle" has a another meaning.
Back on topic: That graphic is hilarious. One could probably make one that correlated digital video and police brutality
I've come across those that use the word for mundane occurrences, but I have always ascribed that to hyperbole.
events not ascribable to human power or the laws of nature.
You can claim that the Red Sox won the World Series all you want. It either happened or it didn't.
You can't claim " I saw Jesus dancing in a double rainbow in my backyard " within the window between the advent of digital photography until Photoshop was invented because it didn't happen.
And now, people can go back to claiming all the ridiculous crap they want with Photoshop's help.
Thanks for getting the joke. My job is done! #timetogohome